An induction heating device comprises a D.C. power supply referenced to a ground connection. The D.C. power supply is configured to supply power to the induction heating device and comprises a voltage rectifier configured to rectify an input voltage into a direct current and output the D.C. voltage to a D.C. bus and a ground connection. The device further comprises a plurality of resonant loads arranged in a matrix comprising a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows. Each of the resonant loads is connected at a first end to a row and at a second end to a column. A plurality of first switching devices are in connection with each of the columns between the D.C. bus and at least one of the resonant loads. A plurality of second switching devices are in connection with each of the rows between the resonant loads and the ground connection.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An induction heating device comprising: a D.C. power supply, referenced to a ground connection, configured to supply power to the induction heating device and comprising a voltage rectifier, configured to rectify an input voltage into a direct current and output the D.C. voltage to a D.C. bus and a ground connection; a plurality of resonant loads arranged in a matrix comprising a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows, wherein each of the resonant loads is conductively connected at a first end to one of the plurality rows of the matrix and at a second end to one of the plurality of columns of the matrix; a plurality of first switching devices in connection with each of the columns between the D.C. bus and each of the resonant loads; a plurality of second switching devices in connection with each of the rows between the resonant loads and the ground connection; and a rectifying device connected in series with each of the resonant loads, wherein the rectifying device is arranged such that current is conducted directionally from the D.C. bus into the resonant load through the first switching device.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the resonant loads comprise a capacitor and an inductor connected in parallel.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the rectifying device is connected in series on an anode side to each of the resonant loads and on a cathode side to each of the rows and the second switching devices.
4. The control circuit according to claim 3, wherein the rectifying device is configured to block reverse-current returning through the rows or columns into the resonant loads.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the rectifying device connected in series between the first switching devices on an anode side and each of the resonant loads on a cathode side.
6. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of rows and the plurality of columns are transposed forming a transposed arrangement.
7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first switching devices are disposed between the D.C. bus and each of the columns.
8. The device according to claim 7, wherein each column being connected to more than one of the resonant loads.
9. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of the second switching devices is disposed between the ground connection and each of the rows.
10. The device according to claim 9, wherein each of the rows is connected to more than one of the resonant loads.
11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the resonant loads comprise an inductor and a capacitor arranged in parallel and the first switching devices and the second switching devices form a plurality of non-underclamped quasi-resonant inverters, each comprising the resonant loads arranged in series with a rectification device.
12. The device according to claim 11, further comprising: a controller configured to selectively activate each non-underclamped quasi resonant inverter by controlling a combination of the first switching devices and the second switching devices.
13. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of rows comprise a conductive row connection in communication with the first end of each of the resonant loads.
14. The device according to claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of columns comprise a conductive column connection in communication with the second end of each of the resonant loads.
15. An induction heating device comprising: a D.C. power supply, referenced to a ground connection, configured to supply power to the induction heating device via a D.C. bus; a plurality of resonant loads, each comprising a first node and a second node, arranged in a matrix comprising a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows, wherein each of the resonant loads is conductively connected at the first node to one of the plurality of columns and the second node to one of the plurality of rows; a plurality of first switching devices, each of the first switching devices in connection with one of the columns between the D.C. bus and the resonant loads; a plurality of second switching devices, each of the second switching devices in connection with one of the rows between the resonant loads and the ground connection; and a rectifying device connected in series with each of the resonant loads, wherein the rectifying device defines a directional current flow path through each of the resonant loads.
16. The device according to claim 15, wherein each of the resonant loads is conductively connected at the first node to a conductive column connection of a column and the second node is conductive connected to a conductive row connection of a row.
17. The device according to claim 15, wherein the rectifying devices block reverse-current returning through the rows or the columns into the resonant loads.
18. The device according to claim 15, wherein the rectifying device is connected in series to each of the resonant loads between the first node and the second node.
19. The device according to claim 15, wherein the rectifying device is connected in series to each of the resonant loads between the first switching device and the second switching device.
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April 23, 2018
May 13, 2025
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